Finger Lakes is running today as well so Upstate, while warm, isn’t stopping the racing.
Race Two (1 1/16 Miles Turf) on opening day see some familiar silks in the winner’s circle: Stephen’s Revenge, piloted by Eddie Castro for trainer Barclay Tagg and owner: Sackatoga Stable
Mayhaps a good argument for night racing at The Spa?
Terribly unlucky start in the 5th (2yr old fillies) for Repole Stable’s Stopshoppingmaria who fell almost to her knees at the break and while tried to rally could only manage 3rd. (The horse is named for Mike’s wife and her well known spending habits.)
The winner of that 5th race was the familiar Stonestreet Stables silks with ‘My Miss Aurelia’ piloted by Julien Leparoux and trained by Steve Asmussen.
Julien Laparoux has now back to back wins on the day.
Nick Zito who had a horrible Belmont meet (final ranking #59th with a dismal 31 2-3-6) and Jackson Bend who hasn’t seen the winner’s circle since he was 2-yrs old … came up with a very convincing win in the should-be-graded James Marvin Stakes. Cory Nakatani up guided the dismissed little Jackson Bend to a multiple length victory right along the rail.
I believe that after the race, Congresswoman Gabriel Giffords’ husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, was to make a presentation to the winning connections.
No threat from Aikenite, D’Funny Bone, Here Comes Ben by the end of the race
We attended yesterday - no doubt, it was hot, but not as hot and less humid than Thursday. We are lucky enough to have good seats for the days we will be going, and we both felt we had had more uncomfortable days at Saratoga in the past.
There were plenty of hoses along the fenceline, but I didn’t notice any horse having a particularly hard time after a race. And I definitely have seen horses in distress after a race - here at Saratoga, and very definitely at Belmont. Guess there’s some truth to the theory that the days of heat preceding had the horses acclimated to the conditions.
The rail was definitely the place to be yesterday in most dirt races - with big moves being made by those that spent their time there.
Jackson Bend was very impressive - good to see his comeback.
One jockey to keep an eye on was apprentice Irad Ortiz, who won the 6th race on Pico Dinero for Schettino. A very smooth, low slung rider, who had his horse placed well, going wide around the turn, took the lead, kept the pace down, and drew away at the finish.
In the last race, the eventual winner, Canani trained Chosen Empire, opened at 6:1, appeared to take about 10k in the last minute to make him the favorite, and blew away the field - somebody knew something!
Pletcher’s Georgie’s Angel won the feature with authority. The Saratoga Special (love the Clancys!) had an interesting article about lawyer/first time owner Ronnie Sheffer’s experience with his new filly. Wonder how long he’ll think it’s this easy!
Opening day: 25,155 - up 13.4 percent from a rainy 2010 at the Spa.
ST Times - Saratoga Special for Sat July 23rd (pdf)
Since people have enjoyed Barbara Livingston’s contribution at the DRF - check out her images of “old” Saratoga hidden at the current track:
http://www.drf.com/blogs/old-new-past-present-everywhere-you-turn-historic-saratoga
The opening wagering data - especially in light of the weather - is highly encouraging too:
On-track handle for the 10-race Saratoga card totaled $3,551,745, a 13.4 percent increase over $3,130,756 on Opening Day 2010.
Wagering at the downstate Belmont Café and Aqueduct Racetrack simulcast facilities was $407,383, resulting in a combined on-track handle of $3,959,128, up 18.5 percent from $3,341,842 last year.
All-sources handle, which includes wagers on Saratoga races both on-track and from simulcast outlets nationwide, was $15,871,449, up 18.9 percent from $13,349,050 in 2010.
Saturday’s scratches are 15 total for the entire days cards including Allowance Entries
There will be no French landscape painter and printmaker in the 6th. Jeanbaptiste Corot is a scratch 
Tiger Woods look out? Not likely, but hey it was for a good cause. Saratoga jockeys play round of mini golf Thursday early afternoon to benefit Retirement home, Old Friends Cabin Creek at Murphy’s Golf
Photo: Julien Leparoux plays a round of miniature golf at Murphy’s (Photo credit - Erica Miller/The Saratogian)
Now, that was a stretch duel for the ages. What a race. It’s Tricky gets up on the line over Plum Pretty, after being neck and neck from about half way around the turn.
Some small consolation for Godolphin after what happned to Rewilding earlier today.
Fabulous race I thought
Wow, talk about grit - loved how PP fought back hard but It’s Tricky had a terrific trip!
Final Saturday attendance number, again despite the heat: 22,091
(Please, please be cooler says Glimmerglass who will be there next Sat for the Diana and Jim Dandy!)
Video - Sat 7/23 TVG Coaching Club American Oaks (G1)
A rematch between It’s Tricky and Plum Pretty could take place in the Grade 1, $500,000 Alabama here on Aug. 20. So that might be the better filly duel then say cries for NYRA to sweeten the pot to bring Blind Luck and Havre de Grace together again at Spa in the 62nd Grade 1 Personal Ensign at 1 1/4 mi.
(To do so would require, per Rick Porter, ‘Grace’ owner, to double up the purse. Otherwise she runs in the Grade 1 Woodward at Spa against the boys. That to be would be faaaaar more of a thrilling entry. It’s exceedingly unlikely Monmouth could/would double up their Grade 2 Molly Pitcher Stakes to bring both horses to Jersey and thus neither run at Saratoga.)
Sunday - July 24th - race of the day at Spa will be the (9th race) Grade 2 Sanford Satkes ($150k)
This is the 97th running of the famed race which produced such Champions as: Tom Fool (1951), Hail To Reason (1960), etc. Oh and in 1919 (as previously cited in this topic thread) a little match between Upset and Man o’War in 1919 
Cited on another thread was the subject of horses at Saratoga and roads/streets.
Image from Barbara Livingston: Overdriven, with exercise rider Patti Krotenko up, crosses Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., on Friday.
That horse, Overdrive [owned by Mike Repole and ridden by John Velazquez] will be the likely favorite in today’s (SUN) signature race.
Overdriven will face seven rivals in Sunday’s Sanford, including Jack’s in the Deck, who won the Futurity at Belmont on July 3, and Power World, who finished second in the Grade 3 Bashford Manor at Churchill on July 2.
Overdriven, a son of Tale of the Cat, debuted July 1 at Belmont. After bobbling slightly at the start, Overdriven chased the well-touted J.C.s Pride early, collared him at the quarter pole, and then gradually drew clear in the stretch. He ran five furlongs in 56.42 seconds and earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure.
For the good and bad of the meet - there is a fatality to cite 
Rockette’s Eswcapade was euthanized on Saturday afternoon after pulling up in a race earlier on the day’s card.
The 4-year-old gray filly, ridden by John Velazquez, suffered a condylar fracture of her right hind ankle.
Trainer Bill Mott raced up the track to be with his filly, who was being attended to, the and the equine ambulance was sent. The filly was able to get on the van and was taken back to the barn.
After being examined, Rockette’s Eswcapade, who had a win, a second and three thirds in her five prior races, was euthanized.
Here is hoping the first is also the last in the meet.
As Tom Durkin remarked in the stretch of the Grade 2 Sanford Stakes with his call “there will be no Upset this year” … Overdriven final odds were 1-5 (paying $2.60 for the $2 wager) and he won by about 4-lengths. Final 6F in 1:10.60
A good looking colt.
Agreed, Glimmer - he IS a nice looking colt, very powerfully built.
Hopefully today’s stakes win for Repole Stables will take the sting out of yesterday’s trip out of the gate by SSM. Mrs. Repole looks like she doesn’t take the advice to “Stop Shopping” from anyone! 
A rather thin crowd - just 18,791 - on hand to see Repole Stable’s Overdrive take the victory
Race replay - Grade 2, $150,000 Sanford Stakes (July 24, 2011)
(Maan was an early scratch while Bless the Soldier flipped in the gate, suffering several cuts that were enough to warrant a late scratch.)
Not unlike Rachel Alexandra’s impact on NYRA (twice), the wagering was so lopsided that it cost the track money to cover the shortfall:
Overdriven covered six furlongs in 1:10.60 and returned $2.60 as the 1-4 favorite. With $284,191 wagered on him to show out of $239,780, there was a minus-show pool of $45,550.
Lots of rain all day long as Saratoga today (Monday) pulling everything off the turf. Accordingly it made for a tiny audience: just 7,839 showed up. That’s believed to be the smallest Saratoga crowd since Aug. 31, 2005 when 7,700 showed up.
Naughty New Yorker scratched from the feature race today. The winner was however a well known “older” horse who has been a graded stakes finisher for a while Video replay below
Video replay: today’s feature (7-25-11) the $75,000 Evan Shipman stakes (NY-breds only)
The last race of the day (9) a steeplechaser runner tried his hand at running on the sloppy main track - Maya Charli - and alas there was no Jonathan Sheppard like success with trainer Lisa Lewis. Maya wasn’t keen on being there. Sheppard, if you’ll recall, last year put in a 'chaser into a flat race and stole it.
I thought I read somewhere that 'chase jockey Danielle Hodson was recovering from injuries. I don’t see her listed among the jocks for Thursday July 28th’s first Steeplechase as Saratoga race The Jonathan Kiser Novice Stakes. That field has 10 entries which is solid considering how stretch thin 'chasing will be for as many races as Saratoga is offering the NSA this year.
I’ll still take Italian Wedding in that race for assorted reasons
Wednesday July 27th will have as their race of the day the (8th) Lake George S. (Grade 2). All eyes will be on Bobby Flay’s Breeders’ Cup winner - More Than Real - to see if she can bounce back after the poor 3-yr old start at Royal Ascot.
The morning line favorite for the race is Winter Memories. She is coming off back to back graded stakes wins.
Looking over the upcoming races and entries drawn, note Friday July 29th’s 3rd race an Allowance Optional $75k Claiming (although no entries are in for a tag). What is interesting in this $57k pursed race at 1 1/8miles are the names:
Ice Box, Anak Nakal, Wilkinson, Ron the Greek, Convocation, and Northern Giant. All of these guys have been cited at one time or another with the Kentucky Derby chase for their respective year.
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